the new fathers blog writer
How refreshing it is to read Robert's blog. I've noticed more blogs about family written by fathers lately. It makes my heart smile.
When I was a kid I only saw mothers pushing strollers. Now I see young men, without females nearby pushing strollers, walking with their toddlers, taking them to doctor appointments, going on field trips, etc. Men are now embracing fatherhood.
I know you're married Robert, but I hope you'll also write about divorced and never-married fathers. They make up a huge piece of our population, yet don't seem to have a voice.
teri stoddard
"I know you're married Robert, but I hope you'll also write about divorced and never-married fathers. They make up a huge piece of our population, yet don't seem to have a voice."
Thank you Terri for your kind words. Yes! I most certainly will give them a voice. As you know my advocacy outside of blogging includes them. Special Thanks for your comment Teri.
Mothers Day
Being a Mom, I know how special Mother's Day is. I Love getting the cards from my son, that he made with his own two precious hands, and look forward to getting them from my youngest - when he reaches the age of gift making too.
My Mom & Dad both passed away in Aug '05, just 8 days apart, not related deaths. When Mother's Day & Father's Day come around, I still take the time to think of them, as I do every day, but also tell them again how grateful I was and am to have them apart of my everyday life.
Life isn't always easy, but they did the best they could, and that's all any of us can do!
I hope Robert Pedersen continues with this, on new topics, I think it's a great idea and wonderful addition to the news!
Flying Iron Man
Hey Robert, what a fun article. Not only shows you took the time to teach your son right from wrong, safety around the baby and others, but you gave your son the basis for making his own choice. Well done! You showed him he has his own mind and is able to use it.
I hope to see more posts that are family related. I think it will help to bring a little something special to the news, and show people how others acutally cope with certain situations.
Letting kids know they're important to you
I'd agree with your observation concerning learning the names of toys, etc. We can't be with our children 24/7, but I have to believe interacting with them and taking an active interest in their "world" when we are with them helps let them know they're important to us. (To think I had no idea who Thomas the Tank Engine was a few years ago!)
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a day to recognize a mother. A day to show her that you remember who she is and what she has done for you.
I would like to share a story about my mother and how she became to be my best friend, even though she never raised me.
I was taken from my mother at a very young age. I never had the opportunity to have her guidance when I was a child and she was not the one to tuck my in at night and hear my prayers. Nor did she know that my nightly prayer was always asking God to please let me be with her.
People who have the power to take a child from a mother for nothing more then to make money from the deal are no better then a murderer and deserve to be punished in a criminal court. BUT, the same thing holds true when a child is taken from a father.
Mother's Day is a day to reflect on who your mother is and let her know that you care for her in what ever way you do. It is not a day to erase all that has happened over the years and it is not a day to give thanks for things that didn't happen. It is a day to show that you remember who she is and respect her for what ever part she played in your life.
My mother loved me very much, as did I her. However, I was told all sorts of lies about her and people expected me to believe what they told me. Being a kid, I guess to some degree I believed what I was told, but I remembered how she hugged me and I remembered how much love I felt from her on those very special occasions when I did get to see her. I also believe with all my heart that the bond we shared when I was a baby, kept her love alive in my heart.
When I was 15 I ran away from the home I was forced to live in. Within a few months my mother and I were together. I can't say it was all roses, cause I had a lot of anger about my childhood and because of so many lies, I blamed my mother for allowing me to be taken from her.
BUT, we finally got through it and for the last 12 years of her life she was my very best friend in the WHOLE world. We shared everything in my life and she did her best to guide me through the rest of my teens and into my twenties. On Feb. 17, 1983 this very special, wonderful woman who had been laying in her hospital bed for over 3 months with me by her side the whole time, laid her head on my shoulder and drew her last breath. I have never felt so alone and scared in my life. Once again I was to live my life without my mother. My arms were wrapped around her with my tears falling all over her face, the nurse put her arms around me and held the button to lay my mother's bed flat. I laid over on her as everyone of the hospital staff walked out and left me with her to say my goodbyes.
I tell you this story so you might possibly understand the love between mother and child.
BUT, now I also tell you that the love between father and child is as strong and should be allowed between children and fit & loving fathers as well.
My sons have given me 15 joys of my life. My sons are 2 bio sons and 2 stepsons. My sons as well as my stepsons share a close relationship with me and my husband, and so do their children, except for the one we are not allowed to see because her mother and stepparent don't see life the way it was meant to be.
When the time is right I will also tell you about what Father's Day means to me and should mean to you.
Thank you Robert for your views on Mother's Day and I look forward to Father's Day so I can share my views about it as well.
God Speed
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a day to recognize a mother. A day to show her that you remember who she is and what she has done for you.
I would like to share a story about my mother and how she became to be my best friend, even though she never raised me.
I was taken from my mother at a very young age. I never had the opportunity to have her guidance when I was a child and she was not the one to tuck my in at night and hear my prayers. Nor did she know that my nightly prayer was always asking God to please let me be with her.
People who have the power to take a child from a mother for nothing more then to make money from the deal are no better then a murderer and deserve to be punished in a criminal court. BUT, the same thing holds true when a child is taken from a father.
Mother's Day is a day to reflect on who your mother is and let her know that you care for her in what ever way you do. It is not a day to erase all that has happened over the years and it is not a day to give thanks for things that didn't happen. It is a day to show that you remember who she is and respect her for what ever part she played in your life.
My mother loved me very much, as did I her. However, I was told all sorts of lies about her and people expected me to believe what they told me. Being a kid, I guess to some degree I believed what I was told, but I remembered how she hugged me and I remembered how much love I felt from her on those very special occasions when I did get to see her. I also believe with all my heart that the bond we shared when I was a baby, kept her love alive in my heart.
When I was 15 I ran away from the home I was forced to live in. Within a few months my mother and I were together. I can't say it was all roses, cause I had a lot of anger about my childhood and because of so many lies, I blamed my mother for allowing me to be taken from her.
BUT, we finally got through it and for the last 12 years of her life she was my very best friend in the WHOLE world. We shared everything in my life and she did her best to guide me through the rest of my teens and into my twenties. On Feb. 17, 1983 this very special, wonderful woman who had been laying in her hospital bed for over 3 months with me by her side the whole time, laid her head on my shoulder and drew her last breath. I have never felt so alone and scared in my life. Once again I was to live my life without my mother. My arms were wrapped around her with my tears falling all over her face, the nurse put her arms around me and held the button to lay my mother's bed flat. I laid over on her as everyone of the hospital staff walked out and left me with her to say my goodbyes.
I tell you this story so you might possibly understand the love between mother and child.
BUT, now I also tell you that the love between father and child is as strong and should be allowed between children and fit & loving fathers as well.
My sons have given me 15 joys of my life. My sons are 2 bio sons and 2 stepsons. My sons as well as my stepsons share a close relationship with me and my husband, and so do their children, except for the one we are not allowed to see because her mother and stepparent don't see life the way it was meant to be.
When the time is right I will also tell you about what Father's Day means to me and should mean to you.
Thank you Robert for your views on Mother's Day and I look forward to Father's Day so I can share my views about it as well.
God Speed
Attack of Iron Man
Absolutely great blog!!
Parental Love and Respect
Robert.....
Reading your blog made me feel like I was reading a beautiful fairy tale!
How wonderful if husbands treated wives so lovingly and if wives did the same.
Children would grow up living in and seeing that family life is totally different from what it is today and our society would be so much better off.
Everyone loves fairy tales because they make you feel so warm and fuzzy! Your children are truly blessed to be living in a modern day tale.
Ironman Michigan Dad
Very good and funny article. You brought out many ways in your article to handle children. Adults and parents sometimes forget that how we say things to kids is important. Knowing the names of toys and being able to talk with them about their toys is meaningful and important to children.
Mother's Day
Nice blog! I don't understand rfox's comments regarding the dad's blog vs mom's blog. Without mothers, there would be no fathers and vice versa. I have been a family law reform advocate in Georgia for over 10 years and mostly those reform issues focus on "father's rights". However, my goal is to make sure that laws are balanced and not in favor of mom or dad, but the children. It's refreshing to read a balanced article, especially from someone who does understand the issues. I applaud your point of view and look forward to reading more.
Child support....
It would seem to me that children are less likely to be concerned about child support than their custodial parent is. Therefore if a child is being told constantly about issues surrounding the child support, the child is likely going to start parroting what the custodial parent has to say.
I think that is what is going on here. Perhaps this young man grew up with his mother preaching how "deadbeat" his father is because he didn't pay child support. As you say, drip, drip, drip... this is where it begins.
I always ask myself, when it is the child discussing their child support, is it truly the words of that child that we hear, or the angry words of that child's custodial parent?
Contact Fox, let them know you don't approve!
I don't feel that this is right on any level. Regardless if they're a mother or a father, nobody should have the right to degrade them on national television. I agree that there are far more father's who are good parents verses those who are deadbeats, which are created by our system and not by our choice.
If they want a reality show maybe they should start a show about the courts and how they rip families apart and how they make money by doing so. That is something every family has the right to know, not that some mother or father didn't make a child support payment and are now being chastised on national television.
Personally I think everyone should contact Fox and let them know, you make an example out of father's, we will make an example out of you and make sure none of your shows are watched!
Thanks for the post!
Thank you Robert for this post. On behalf of stepmother's everywhere, it is nice to know that we are appreciated and most of all, understood. While parenting is no easy task in and of itself, it's even more difficult when you're a step-parent. So again, thanks for the recognition of a job well done, we appreciate it!
Iron Man Attacks
It's nice to see that you can show your love for your children when you step on one of their small toys. Just think of the love that is endored when a parent my size is 100 pounds plus then you with only 9.5 size mens shoe stepping on a large marble. I have to take a a bottle of tylenol to recover (just exagerating). the pain hurts but how can you get upset with an innocent child.
Kids Toys that can hurt
Personally, I found the backyard swingset to be the most physically damaging "toy" my daughter ever smacked me with. She was simply "swinging the swing" with nobody sitting in it, I turned back around, and the edge of the seat met my teeth! Fortunately for me, no loss of enamel....
